


Old Rivalries and New Beginnings

by dracogotgame



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, First Kiss, Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, Mistletoe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-04
Updated: 2013-12-04
Packaged: 2019-04-01 06:38:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13992591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracogotgame/pseuds/dracogotgame
Summary: Old rivalries give way to something better.





	Old Rivalries and New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> [Originally published December 4, 2013](https://dracogotgame.livejournal.com/66896.html)

The tree was coming along very nicely. Draco nodded approvingly as he draped some tinsel along the branches, enjoying the way the light caught against the myriad decorations. Returning to Hogwarts after the war hadn’t been easy. There was tension and conflict and more than a few fights between ex Gryffindors and Slytherins alike, but Christmas had worked its magic among the newly designated Eighth Years. Petty bickering and old rivalries had been set aside as everyone pitched in to work on the tree, and the results were right in front of him. Not a branch was left bare. In fact, the giant fir was listing dangerously to one side under the weight of the decorations.

It was perfect, Draco thought. They’d done it together and for some unfathomable reason, the thought was a pleasant one.

Great, now he was getting all sappy.

Draco rolled his eyes and took another critical look at the tree. He raised an eyebrow as he realized how much red was decked on the branches. Green was severely under-represented. Well, that wouldn’t do. He selected a sparkly green ball and placed it firmly on a branch. There. Much better.

“Really, Malfoy? I thought we were done with old rivalries.”

The sudden chuckle made him start and he nearly stumbled right into the tree. Potter grinned and approached, looking over the tree with approval. Draco flushed and busied himself with his box again. Potter unnerved him a bit these days. They had indeed put aside their longstanding rivalry this year, but things were still awkward. For one thing, he had no idea how to act around Potter anymore. For another, his ex rival insisted on being friendly and pleasant, leaving Draco confused and a tad flustered. Potter was clearly up to something. But for the life of him, Draco couldn’t figure out what.

Potter didn’t seem to share his discomfort. “Not bad,” he commented.

“Not bad?” Draco scoffed. “It’s brilliant.”

Potter nodded. “Almost brilliant.” Without explaining any further, he plucked up a sparkly red bauble from the box and placed it next to Draco’s green addition.

Draco rolled his eyes. Typical, over-competitive Gryffindor. “I thought we were done with old rivalries,” he said, mimicking Potter’s earlier statement.

Potter turned to him with the hint of a smile, his green eyes glinting in the dim fire light. “We are,” he replied softly. “I just think they look...good together, don’t you?”

Potter eyed him intently as he spoke and Draco felt the colour rush to his cheeks under such intense scrutiny. Potter approached him carefully, cautiously. He extended an arm and wrapped it gently around his waist, drawing him closer. Draco stiffened, but went willingly. In hindsight, he really should have protested Potter’s presumption - at least attempted a token resistance— but the git didn’t really play fair, did he? Draco swallowed and his protests died in his throat as Potter leaned in— his lips hovering tantalisingly over Draco’s, soft and warm and so, so kissable.

“Malfoy?”

“Mm?”

“We’re standing under the mistletoe.”

“Oh,” Draco murmured, not really sure why Potter was talking about mistletoe right now. This was hardly the time. Potter’s arms tightened around him slightly and he leaned closer.

“I’m going to kiss you now.”

There.  _Now,_ he was making sense.

Potter hovered for a second or two, and then he swooped in for an unhurried, almost chaste kiss. His hand crept up to Draco’s hair, twining gently into blond strands as he held him in place. His mouth plied Draco’s— cautious at first and then insistent— urging him to respond in kind. Draco moaned his approval and wrapped his arms around Potter’s neck, tilting his head for better access. Potter growled his own approval and deepened the kiss, plying Draco’s willing mouth with gentle licks and nips.

As first kisses went, it was pretty damn perfect.

Potter broke away, much too soon in Draco’s opinion. They stood in silence for a while and Draco leaned into Potter, trying to catch his breath.

“Malfoy?” Potter’s soft whisper broke into the silence.

“What?”

“Why are you so daft?”

Draco blinked as he processed that totally uncalled for insult and scowled. “I am  _not_ daft!” he sputtered indignantly. “ _You’re_ daft,” he added as an after-thought because really, Potter  _was_ quite daft what with the kissing and the name calling. Who did that?

Potter chuckled fondly and pecked his cheek. “You are,” he insisted. “If you weren’t, you’d have realised I’ve been wanting to kiss you all year.”

“Well, why didn’t you?” Draco demanded. “See? You  _are_ daft.”

Potter grinned again, his eyes glinting with unabashed amusement. “You have a point,” he admitted. “Perhaps, I should make up for lost time then?”

Draco rolled his eyes. “Well, it’s only the most sensible course of action, Potter.”

And when Potter leaned in for another kiss, he complied without protest.

Thank Merlin they’d given up on old rivalries. Potter was  _clearly_ lost without Draco’s guidance and direction.

Daft git.


End file.
